A Very Eloquent Speech
by remerkaba
Summary: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D/Captain America crossover. Jemma Simmons wasn't expecting to find her soulmate while attending a conference with Fitz. Steve Rogers wasn't expecting to find a dead man. They were both in for a few surprises. Based on Soulmate Shorts by Ozhawk
1. Chapter 1

Inspired by Soulmate Shorts by Ozhawk

If you haven't gone and read her shorts, you should. She has all kinds of pairings and its all marked so you can pick and chose what you want to read! On top of that, any of the pairings that she isn't going to continue herself, she's encouraging others to continue.

I loved the Jemma/Steve one and she gave me permission to continue it and is beta-ing it for me. Thank you Ozhawk!

*** For anyone reading Avenging Arrow... I just sent three chapters to be beta'd. I'll have an update posted soon!

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Chapter 1 A Very Eloquent Speech By Ozhawk

**This first chapter is Written by Ozhawk so if the Style seems different than my usual, that's why. I'm continuing it from chapter 2 forward. (See Notes Above) It should be about 5-6 chapters.

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Chapter 1: Jemma/Steve Rogers (BioCaptain(?))

"Erskine's research was groundbreaking and it's a tragedy that he was so secretive, that his work has never been replicated."

"I disagree," Jemma said flatly.

The head researcher of the military research laboratory turned and gave her a condescending look. "And you would be..?"

"Jemma Simmons, S.H.I.E.L.D.," she said calmly, meeting his eyes fearlessly, despite hearing the sudden whispers around her. It was a small, select group that had received the invitation to examine the remains of the Centipede laboratory equipment. Jemma was only on the invite list because of the examinations and tests she'd done on Mike Peterson.

"Obviously the Centipede program was yet another flawed attempt," the researcher said, "but would you care to explain, Ms. Simmons…"

"Doctor Simmons," she corrected politely. "And yes, certainly, I'll tell you why I believe it's a good thing Erskine's serum has never been replicated. Erskine said it himself. It makes the good, better, and the bad, worse. Despite his physical limitations – or perhaps because of them – Steve Rogers was inherently a good person. The process that led to his being chosen was exhaustive, and a lot of people at the time disagreed with Erskine's ultimate choice."

Everyone was listening intently to Jemma's words. A tall man close by, wearing a baseball cap pulled down to shade his face, was staring hard at her. She ignored him and continued.

"But what if the wrong man had been chosen? Steve Rogers was willing to sacrifice himself to stop the Valkyrie bombings. How many other men would be – and how could anyone be sure? We saw the results with Centipede, and that was effectively a cheap knockoff version of the serum. Could we really take the risk of having multiple versions of Captain America running around without his moral code, his beliefs of right and wrong?" Jemma fell silent for a moment, and then shrugged. "It worked once, and frankly, we got lucky with the result. I for one am glad that we aren't rolling the dice, taking the risk of creating super-humans who can't be matched or stopped, because no one can know the deepest corners of someone else's heart."

It was very quiet for a moment, and then the tall man applauded. The lab head had seemed about to say something, but instead he looked away with a sniff and gestured the group to follow him. Jemma was about to trail after them when the tall man put a hand on her arm to stay her.

"That was a very eloquent speech, ma'am."

Jemma stared in surprise for a moment. She'd been seeing those exact words all her life, written in an elegant, old-fashioned script along the inside of her left arm. Well. How lovely. It seemed her soulmate was a fellow scientist, otherwise he wouldn't be here. He even shared her taste in conservative clothing, looking at his chinos, white T-shirt and smart navy sport coat. Rather gorgeous, too – she couldn't see the colour of his hair under his cap but he had a very handsome face and broad shoulders, tapering to a waist barely bigger than her own.

Lucky me, Jemma thought, and then realised she hadn't spoken back. She smiled rather shyly. "Thank you very much. You have an interest in the subject?"

He blinked stupidly long lashes over lovely blue eyes. "You might say that. Uh… are you… is this your writing?" He stepped forward and pulled up his white T-shirt to reveal a ridiculously well-muscled stomach, Jemma's neat handwriting printed across his six-pack.

"Yes," she smiled nervously. "Um – Jemma Simmons."

Steve smiled down at her, thinking he'd definitely lucked out in the soulmate department. Doctor Simmons was very pretty, very clever – and she had that English accent that did strange things to his insides. He'd always been a sucker for pretty, decisive English chicks, he thought derisively. He'd never had a soulmate mark in the old days, but her words had been etched into his stomach when he woke from his long sleep.

"Yes, I heard that." He smiled, let his shirt drop – shame, it had been quite a view – and held out his hand. "I'm Steve Rogers."


	2. Chapter 2 Comparing Notes

Chapter 2 Comparing Notes

Jemma felt her heart flip a little. "Would you mind repeating that." She heard herself saying.

His smile was indulgent and beautiful. "Steve Rogers. You might have heard of me." He was smiling at her like he found her the cutest little thing. She should have found it insulting but from him it made her feel warm inside, like they were sharing an inside joke.

"Not a scientist then?" Stupid girl, she chided herself. She was meeting her soulmate and now she was asking stupid questions. She wished for a reset button for her brain.

Steve chuckled. "No, Ma'am, but I like to keep up with the latest research, make sure no one is getting ready to create an army of me's without my moral code or sense of right or wrong." Jemma couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled to the surface. She relaxed marginally.

"You're quite charming." She blurted, then covered her mouth. "I'm sorry," she apologized, dropping her hand. "It seems my speech is the last eloquent thing you're going to hear me say. I seem to have lost my brain."

"It's Ok," Steve assured her. "I seem to have lost mine a little too." His confession helped though she didn't notice him becoming tongue tied. "We're gathering an audience." Steve glanced toward the door where a few curious students were starting to trickle in for the next lecture. "Maybe I could take you for a cup of coffee and we could get to know each other a little better?" The hopeful look in his eyes made her insides warm and she felt a little more at ease.

"I really shouldn't leave the campus. Fitz, he's my best friend, or at least he was until Ward tried to kills us, but be that as it may, he is just starting to depend on me. He's got my number if he starts to have any troubles. I shouldn't leave." She really wanted to, but she and Fitz were just beginning to rebuild their friendship. She wasn't about to be leave the campus incase he'd need her.

An idea sprang to mind. "I did notice that there are a couple of the lecture halls being refurbished. We could perhaps go to one of those and talk." Did she really just suggest Steve Rogers take her someplace more private? She hadn't meant it to be so forward.

Steve's eyes widened slightly. "I'd like that." He agreed, turning to offer her his arm. The gesture was such an old fashion one, it made her smile. She took his arm and followed him out into the hall.

Steve led Jemma to a row of seating toward the back of the empty lecture hall. The hall was in the middle of having its well worn wall paper removed, but for the moment there were no workmen around. He'd been a little surprised that the young scientist had suggested they go someplace so private, but considering they were soulmates, it was good she trusted him. She was so beautiful.

"You're friend Fitz, who tried to kill the both of you." He hadn't meant to lead with that, but the thought that someone tried to take this amazing woman, the other half of his soul from him before he'd even had a chance to meet her was unthinkable. He wanted to know who and why. If the culprit wasn't already dead or in custody, he'd make sure that happened.

Jemma's eyes had gone wide. "I don't think I can say," she told him hesitantly. "I don't want to keep anything from you, but I'm simply not at liberty to talk about it."

"Ah, yes you said you were a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent." Steve smiled. He was sure her clearance level was below his but he didn't like that he was making her so nervous. Not the way he wanted his first meeting to go. She seemed so young. He reached for something to put her at ease.

"Would you mind removing your hat," Jemma asked, surprising him. "You have such a lovely face. I'd like to be able to see you clearly." Steve could feel his face heating as he hastily pulled his hat from his head and set it in the chair next to them.

"I'm sorry, my Ma would have tanned my hide for sitting down with a lady without removing my hat. I guess I'm just a little nervous." Jemma smiled and laid a small hand against his forearm where it lay between them. Her touch sent shockwaves through is body. Very few people that weren't trying to kill him touched him.

"Did you give your mother much reason to scold you when you were young?" Jemma asked. "You seem so polite, its hard to imagine you being a ruffian." She was smiling as she let her hand trail down his. He filled his hand over and laced her fingers with his much larger ones.

"I ended up in alota fights," he told her sheepishly. "My ma was always patching me up and telling me to stay outa trouble." Jemma lit up with a huge smile. "What?" he couldn't help asking."

"When you talk about your mother you have such an accent. Its quite cute." She told him shyly.

"I wasn't so cute back then." He admitted. "I was sickly and small. You probably wouldn't have noticed me."

"I've seen your file when I was trying to help a man that had been exposed to Centepede. You were quite adorable. I would have noticed you Steven Rogers." He believed her. Before he knew what he was about to do himself, Steve used the hand that wasn't laced with Jemma's and cupped her cheek. He slowly leaned in, giving her time to pull away if she wasn't ready. Hesitating a hair's breadth from her lips, Steve was reassured when Jemma closed her eyes and tilted slight up to him. The first touch of his lips to hers pulled a small moan from her.

Steve slid his hand into her hair and gently held her in place. He was fighting his body. He wanted to dive in and lose himself in this perfect woman. This other half of him that fate had chosen to gift him with, but he didn't want to frighten her or disrespect her.

Sliding his lips along hers, he licked lightly at her soft mouth asking permission to taste her more fully. Jemma moaned and opened to him, her small hand fisting in his t-shirt, pulling him closer. When her tongue met his, dueling as she melted into him, Steve's good intentions went out the window. He released her hand and used both of his to angle her head just right.

Jemma was making tiny little whimpering noises in the back of her through as he learned her taste, her feel. A tiny voice in the back of his head that sounded a bit like a combination of his Ma and Bucky reminded him that he'd barely met Jemma and that he needed to protect her. With great effort he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. They were both panting making it difficult for him to find his voice.

"I'm sorry Jemma," he told her. "I didn't mean to get carried away and take advantage…"

"Silly man," she interrupted, shocking him when she fisted both of her tiny hands in his hair and pulled him back down to her. He wasn't ready for her to suck his bottom lip between her small white teeth and nip at him. Jemma looked so innocent. The combination of shy aggression and innocence with a sprinkling of her sexy English accent was his undoing. Steve couldn't contain the growl that erupted from deep in his chest as he quickly deepened the kiss at the same time his hands slipped to her tiny waist. He easily picked her up and set her across his lap. The arm rest between the two seats had been getting in his way, now he was able to rest an arm across it and support his girl's back.

Jemma was making those little whimpering sounds again that sent shock waves right through Steve's body. Pulling her across his lap might not have been his best idea he decided when she squirmed closer to him, dragging her soft ass across his painfully hard erection.

"Jemma, I had to ping your phone to find you, Agent Coulson has been trying to get us…" Steve broke the kiss and turned toward the new voice and the young owner of it whose eyes had gone as wide as saucers. "Why ever are you on that man's lap."

Jemma had turned about 10 shades of red in a matter of moments. That all registered with Steve, but his mind was stuck on one thing. "Agent Coulson?" he questioned. "Phil Coulson died in the battle of New York?" He turned questioning eyes on Jemma. "I'm guessing this is your partner Fitz, is he talking about Phil Coulson?" Jemma's wide eyes as she tried to stand up from his lap. Steve's hands were still at her waist. He held her steady.

"You don't have to answer me Jemma. I can see it in your eyes." He told her, almost feeling bad for the stricken look on her face. "Phil Coulson is dead. If there is someone pretending to be him then I'll be damned if I will let my soulmate walk into that alone."

"But it's…" Fitz was struggling for a word. He looked at Jemma with wide eyes as Steve released her and she came to her feet.

"Classified," Jemma finished for him, her voice low. "Steve, there are things you don't understand."

"I'm a level 8 Agent, Jemma, same S.H.I.E.L.D. as you. Take me to Coulson. That's an order, Agent."


	3. Chapter 3 Curfews

AN: Thank You Ozhawk for the extensive beta and fantastic suggestions!

Chapter 3

Jemma sat down in the chair Coulson waved her to. She wasn't happy with the fact that Steve had insisted she stay in the conference room with him. Today had not gone off at _all_ as she'd expected. She'd made a speech about a man that she'd never expected to meet who turned out to be her soulmate. As if that wasn't enough to shake her to her roots, just when she was started to feel, well _comfortable_ for lack of a better term, with him, he'd pulled the superior officer card. Add to that the fact that he was Captain America, an Avenger, and intimidating all on his own and she'd gone from excited and happy to nervous and out of place with a touch of frustration tossed into the mix.

She couldn't see it getting better anytime soon. Steve had been waiting when May came to pick the two scientists up. He'd followed them back to the bus in his own vehicle. When Steve got out of the black SUV he'd been driving, he'd reached into the backseat and taken out his shield.

Seeing Steve Rogers flip that iconic symbol of all the things he stood for onto the leather harness he now wore so that the metal disc rested against his back sent chills down her spine. She was _Captain America's_ soulmate. Captain Steven Grant Rogers is _my_ soulmate, she thought, her heart speeding up. The thrill of following him into the Bus had been dampened by the fact that he clearly expected trouble. He didn't seem inclined to allow her out of his sight.

Steve's protective side was endearing, but that barely made up for the fact that she was in a meeting she had no place in. Agent Coulson and Captain America arguing was not something she needed to witness but when you added Director Nick Fury on the huge screen at the top of the table, she wanted to slide into the floor.

"I made my decision, Rogers," Fury was living up to his name. "At the moment, we will not be telling the Avengers that Coulson is alive."

"Nick, Clint blames himself. The entire team does, but Clint more than anyone else." Steve had been arguing with the Director for the last 10 minutes. Coulson was staying fairly quiet now that they had convinced Steve he really was Agent Coulson. That had been fairly close. Jemma could have sworn even May looked a bit nervous when Steve was unconvinced and close to dragging Coulson out of the Bus. It took Fury appearing on screen, her confirming medical evidence and Coulson telling Steve information about their last meeting that only he would know before the Avenger had conceded that Coulson was who he claimed to be.

All the time, they'd been presenting him with facts and trying to convince him that Coulson wasn't Loki or some imposter. Steve was careful to keep himself between her and the others. Even when she was explaining that Steve was her soulmate and it had been a complete accident that Coulson's identity had been revealed, he'd never allowed her very far from him. Now he seemed content with allowing her to be seated. He didn't seem to think she was in immediate danger so there was that, but the conversation was not going his way.

"How can I lead a team if that team can't trust me?" Steve asked.

"You're the greatest soldier the world has ever seen, I'm sure you will find a way." Fury snapped back. Good heavens, Steve was pushing the director hard. "This is not open for any more discussion. Have I made myself clear, Captain?" Fury's voice invited obedience and nothing less.

"Yes you have, Director." Steve's voice was steady, but she could hear the disappointment in it. Jemma felt for him. She wouldn't want to see any of her friends hurt like he was describing Clint Barton. The man had saved the world in New York with the rest of the Avengers, but you didn't argue with Director Fury. "You leave me no choice but to resign my commission, Nick." Steve's words interrupted Jemma's thoughts and made her gasp. She quickly covered her mouth, not wanting anyone's attention on her.

"Don't you think you're being hasty, Captain?" Fury rushed. "I'm not saying we won't tell them eventually, but right now this needs to stay here between all of us."

"You've given me all your reasons and I haven't heard one from you that makes any sense. You can trust the Avengers. Even as unpredictable as Tony can be, you _know_ you can trust him with this. This kind of compartmentalizing doesn't protect anyone. It only encourages too many secrets and fractures teams. If we're not all careful it could fracture S.H.I.E.L.D."

"I think you're exaggerating just a bit Rogers, don't you?" Fury leaned back in his chair and was quiet for a few seconds before leaning forward and resting his arms on the polished surface of his desk. "If you quit S.H.I.E.L.D, Captain, how do you expect to see your soulmate?" Fury's voice did not change, but it sent chills through Jemma. He was going to use her as a bargaining chip with Captain America to keep him in line!

Jemma couldn't have that. She wasn't anyone's bargaining chip.

...

Steve couldn't believe what had just come out of Fury's mouth. He hadn't been surprised that the spymaster of all spies wanted to keep secrets as long as they could possibly be kept, no matter how many they hurt, but to threaten his soulmate was beyond the pale. He'd been hoping that it wouldn't come to that, but he couldn't say he was completely shocked. The suspicion Jemma might be used against him had been one of the reasons he'd insisted on keeping her close.

"That was uncalled for, Sir," Jemma's voice shocked everyone in the room into turning to pay attention to her. She'd been completely quiet other than one small gasp when he'd quit S.H.I.E.L.D. He expected that she wouldn't want to put herself in the middle of her bosses so he hadn't been surprised. He was surprised now.

"What Captain Rogers does or does not do with S.H.E.I.L.D will have no bearing on what happens between him and me. I won't be used against my soulmate so I will thank you to rephrase that statement unless you are asking for my resignation as well." Steve felt a swelling of pride for the young woman bravely standing, confronting Nick Fury. A feat not many men dared. Despite the barely visible shaking that coursed through her slight frame, she was fighting for them, for _him_, and he couldn't have felt more humbled by her in that moment.

"Let's all just slow down," Phil Coulson finally broke in, finally breaking his silence. "No one is threatening anyone here. Captain Rogers, Jemma, wait in my office please. I think Director Fury and I can come up with a compromise that will suit everyone." Steve wasn't so sure, but he was willing to give Coulson a chance. The agent hadn't said very much on either side of the argument and Steve had liked him when he'd met him on the helicarrier – plus Clint and Natasha both practically raved about the man. Anyone who had that much respect stored up from Hawkeye and the Black Widow had to be something special. Maybe Phil didn't like the secrets he was keeping either. It was worth giving them him a chance and seeing what compromise was brought to the table.

With a nod, Steve followed Jemma through a side door into Coulson's office. He watched her push the door shut before he pulled her to him and dropped his lips to hers. Sliding his arms around her slender back and holding her flush with his body, he used the moan she let out to sweep his tongue across hers. He kept the kiss brief, barely tasting her before he was releasing her.

"What was that for?" she inquired a bit breathlessly, resting her hands on his forearms. He liked when she touched him. He liked everything about her that she'd shown him so far and he found he very much wanted more.

"Thank you," he told her. "I can't say I can remember the last person, outside of the Avengers that tried to stand up for me." He smiled as she blushed. She blushed more than he did.

"You don't need to thank me. It was you that was the brave one. You faced down Director Fury without batting an eye. That man is intimidating!" Steve smiled at her and leaned in, intending to kiss her on the nose. He didn't want to get any more carried away while they were in Coulson's office and kissing her tended to do that to him. Jemma had other plans however. She tilted her face up and stood up on her toes to make sure his mouth met hers. The little murmur of appreciation she made was like lightning right to his core. His hands slid down to hold her, molding her soft frame against his hard planes.

Her hands sliding around his neck stoked the fire just a bit higher. He loved the way she melted against him, all softness and slender curves. Steve couldn't help but run a hand down to her waist and around to the soft swell of her ass. Jemma wiggled back into his hand, encouraging him to slide lower, but his enhanced hearing could pick up the conversation on the other side of the door. It was winding down. He didn't want Coulson to walk in on him and Jemma. _God, what are you doing, Steven_, he chided himself. He was back to groping his soulmate in a fairly public place.

With more effort than he had exerted to fight aliens falling out of the sky, Steve forced himself to pull Jemma away from him. At her whimper of displeasure, he dropped his head against hers. "They're almost done talking," he told her quietly.

"Oh," Jemma's breathy little sigh did nothing to calm his heart rate or how uncomfortably tight his trousers felt. She swallowed and raised eyes blown wide with desire to him. "We'd best save this for later then," she agreed, taking a deep breath. She took another and stepped back just as the door to the conference room opened. Phil's eyebrows climbed and Steve felt his face grow warm.

"We'll tell the Avengers that I'm alive," Phil conceded. "But there are conditions."

"I'm listening."

"I will be going with you to tell them myself, but Stark Tower is not a secure location. It is too public and watched too closely. We'll meet at a small airfield in New Jersey." Phil's conditions were reasonable at this point. Steve was pleasantly surprised. He hadn't wanted to resign or to fight Fury, but that's the way he'd thought things would go. He couldn't help the glance down at the small woman beside him. He was curious how much her standing up for him had helped. He couldn't believe how lucky he was.

"I'll contact the team and have them meet us at the airfield. Mind if I catch a ride with you?" It would be faster and he'd have a few hours with Jemma before they reached their destination.

"Wheels up in 30," Phil said as he walked to the door. Instead of walking through it, he opened it and stood back. "This is my office," he pointed out. Steve startled and glanced over a bit sheepishly.

"Of course it is," Jemma blurted like it was the most natural thing in the world. "I'll just show Captain Rogers to an empty cabin." Steve watched her turn bright red as she must have realized how that sounded.

"Yes Agent Simmons that is an excellent idea." Phil agreed. "And in about 15 minutes I'm going to check my screen and I'm sure that I will see your face down in the lab." Damn, Steve hadn't intended to take advantage of Jemma, but a little uninterrupted alone time to at least try to have a conversation would have been nice. Then again, conversation between them kept ending up with their bodies plastered together so maybe the 15 minute time limit was a good idea.

"Yes, sir, 15 minutes it is. I will be certain to wave at the camera." Jemma rolled her eyes at Phil, communicating silently with her expression what she was thinking. _Stop acting like my father. I'm twenty-seven, not fifteen_. Phil's expression turned vaguely sheepish but he didn't say anything.

Steve couldn't help the chuckle at that as they made their way out of the door. Following her down the hall, watching the way her hips swayed as she walked, Steve's body tightened. He rolled his eyes at himself. He was Captain America and he hadn't been able to figure a way out to be alone with his soulmate for more than 10 or 15 minutes at a time. He was supposed to be a master of strategy. He needed to apply himself! He was going to get alone time with his girl if it killed him.


	4. Chapter 4 Strategy

AN: This is the General Audience version. If you want to read the Mature Version hop on over to AO3, the same chapter is posted there under the same name but without the General Audience friendly editing. There isn't a whole lot of difference in this chapter. There will be more in the next. J

Thank you Ozhawk for the beta!

Chapter 4 Strategy

Steve couldn't help the groan that slipped out as Jemma nipped lightly at his chin. He'd pulled back, ending their kiss with the intent to tell her that their 15 minutes were nearly up and that she should get to the lab, but she was distracting him with her clever little tongue on him and was making it very hard to get a word in edgewise.

When they'd finished getting his gear from the Black S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV and had arranged for the loaner to be picked up, he'd noticed on his watch that they had barely 8 minutes left. He didn't want to get Jemma in trouble so he'd intended to kiss her goodbye and secure a promise that she'd have lunch with him when she got a break. This woman made his good intentions fly out of the window along with most of his higher brain function.

"Jemma, I'm only human and I'm not dead. If we don't stop, I'm not gonna be able to let you outta that door." Steve told her, finally resorting to gently holding her away from him. She looked up at him with a smile. Her gorgeous eyes were wide, the pupils dark.

"What if I don't want you to let me out of this room?" She asked. Her words making her own cheeks flame red. "Though I've never disobeyed an order quite so blatantly before," she told him, her voice dropping.

"And I don't want you to now." He told her. "But if you were to check in and work for a little while, that would give me time to make a few calls and get the ball rolling on Coulson meeting the Avengers."

"But if you call them without telling them exactly what is going on, won't they be curious and bother you until you tell them?" She wasn't wrong about the curiosity factory.

"No, they won't bother me. They know they won't get me to budge once I've made my mind up, they will start trying to track me and Tony and Natasha will hack every system they can find." A thought occurred to him. "You don't have anything to do with the security systems in the computers do you?"

"No, that's Skye, May and Coulson…. Oh you devil." She said as she figured out what was happening. "Everyone will be so busy fighting off the Avengers' curiosity, they won't have time to monitor me." Her smile lit up the room. "But what if they call you and tell you that you must come help?"

"They won't do that. Everyone assumes I'm helpless with a computer. I'm not sure why, I've been out of the ice for over a year and I _am_ capable of learning." It always bothered him that 8 year olds learned to use a computer but a lot of people just assumed that he still couldn't. "And Coulson knows he can't push me when it comes to my team and what's right. The best he'd hope to get from me is pointing out that he wouldn't have this problem if he'd been honest in the first place."

"He won't want that." She agreed with a thoughtful look. "Don't you feel the least bad about putting the Avengers on the team?"

"No," Steve was quick with his answer. "Clint blames himself for the arrow that caused the chaos resulting in Phil Coulson's death. He has suffered more than he ever should." It was hard to hold back the anger. He'd always been protective of his team whether it was the Commandos or the Avengers, but what Fury had allowed a good man like Clint Barton to go through was unconscionable to Steve. If the Avengers gave either of the two S.H.I.E.L.D. men a headache, well there was something to be said for having Tony on his team. That man by himself was a headache in the making.

"Well then, you make your call and I'll go wave at the camera." Jemma had her hand on the door.

"I'll go make us sandwiches," Steve had seen a galley when Jemma had introduced him to the team specialist, Ward. "It wouldn't hurt us to eat and get to know each other." He wanted her to know he didn't expect anything from her that she wasn't ready for. There was a big difference in kisses after just meeting your soulmate and demanding more than that. Now if he could just keep his body under control and his mind focused on more than the amazing adorable woman fate had decided was the other half of him, he'd be doing good.

"Yes, that's a good idea. We'll need our strength. Your metabolism alone must burn through food at incredible rates. Perhaps you should make a few." Steve felt his face flame hot but Jemma wasn't seeing it. She'd already closed the door. What got him the most about the direction of her thoughts was that she didn't seem to realize what she was saying. She'd worked through the problem, assumed he was going to need calories and suggested he bulk up for the duration. His pants were suddenly much tighter than they had been a few moments ago.

..

Jemma entered the lab with a minute to spare. She waved to the screen barely able to use the hand signal Skye was so fond of when she was angry, but thought better of it at the last minute. Fitz was in the other room. When he looked up and saw her, he came running in.

"I'm sorry, Jemma," he told her. "I didn't think before I spoke, but I never expected you to be with anyone, let alone sitting on Captain America's lap." She could feel the flush of embarrassment work its way up her neck. She'd never been an overly demonstrative person, but she couldn't seem to keep her hands off of Steve from the moment they met.

"It wasn't intentional, Fitz," she told him. "You've nothing to apologize for."

"I'm not sure Captain Rogers feels that way." Her poor partner looked crest fallen. He'd always been a little in awe of the First Avenger.

"I'm sure he isn't upset." Steve hadn't mentioned anything. "It was just an honest mistake. I'll bring Steve around later and you can see for yourself that he isn't upset with you."

She was glad to see the relief on her friends face. As he turned back to his work there was a smile growing. "What?" she couldn't help asking him.

"I get to meet Captain America. My partner's soulmate is Captain Steven Rogers, the leader of the Avengers." That surprised a laugh out of her. She knew Fitz admired Steve, but she didn't know he'd be that happy.

"I'll be sure to bring him around, but now if Coulson comes looking for me…"

"Jemma, I'm too busy to be keeping track of you. I will be sure to set Agent Coulson straight on that if he comes by inquiring." He nodded with a small smile and turned back to his work. Jemma patted him on the back and glanced at the camera again. It had turned off right after the wave and wasn't on now.

Jemma smiled all the way to the kitchen. The hall was fairly deserted. Perhaps the Avengers had already started to try to find their way into S.H.I.E.L.D's systems or the Bus's. She wasn't sure, but she wasn't going to try to find out. If they were wrong and Agent Coulson caught her spending time with her soulmate, she'd set him straight. She should have been off duty a half hour ago and she was old enough to make her own decisions.

Putting the four sandwiches she'd made onto a plate and grabbing a couple of bottles of water, Jemma made it all the way to her quarters without anyone noticing. Doing a quick touch up on the light bit of makeup she had on and freshening up, Jemma pulled open her door, grabbed her supplies and headed to what she hoped would be uninterrupted time with the drop dead gorgeous man that was the other half of her soul.

She hadn't even raised her hand when Steve opened the door. She kept forgetting about his enhanced hearing. She'd have to try testing it at some point. She'd love to know just how much he could hear. Steve's laughter broke her from her thoughts. "I guess you thought we'd both need quite a lot of fuel?" He was eyeing the stack of sandwiches.

"One is for me. The other three are for you. I don't have a baseline for your metabolism, so I made a guess based on the research I did for …" She was interrupted by Steve's lips on hers. She would have dropped the plate if he hadn't taken it from her hands and set it on the dresser without breaking the kiss. One of the bottles of water was taken from her left hand and placed into her right.

"Hold these," Steve instructed, pulling back from her slightly.

"But I can't use my hands if I'm holding these," she protested.

"I know," he agreed, leaning in again. "I want to kiss you, but your touch tends to get me carried away. I can't think so well when you're touching me."

She didn't have time to argue. His lips were back on his and his tongue was asking for entrance. Jemma opened to him as Steve slid one heavily muscled arm around her back, pulling her closer to him. The way he explored her mouth felt like he was trying to learn every inch of her. Her moan turned louder when he slid one of his hands into her air. It sent little shocks across her scalp and made gooseflesh stand up on her arms.

Jemma wanted so badly to touch him back. She started to bring her arms around him, but realized the cold water bottles would not feel good against his back. She didn't want him to stop. Reaching slightly, she went to put one down on the bed beside her. She'd barely moved when he hummed hu-hu into the kiss and sucked her tongue into his mouth, biting lightly in warning.

A thrill went through her and settled very wetly between her legs. She straightened up immediately, keeping the water in her hand, but squeezing her legs together against the want that was pooling there. Steve groaned and pulled back studying her eyes. His were dark with emotion, not nearly so clear blue as they had been. "I could lose myself in you, Doll," he confessed, bringing his hands to her face and holding her gently. She blushed at the thoughts racing around her head. She wanted to tell him that's exactly where she needed him, inside her.

"You're my soulmate, it's OK, Steve. We won't get lost in each other, we'll find the other halves of ourselves." His eyes warmed in such a way, she thought she could see forever in their blue.

"I don't know how a kid from Brooklyn got so lucky, Jemma," Steve told her, his voice choked with emotion. He pulled the water bottles from her hands and placed them on the dresser. When Steve reached for her and lifted her easily she instinctively wrapped her legs around his hips. In two steps he had her trapped between the strong sculpted muscles of his chest and the wall beside the door. The feel of him straining against his zipper gave her something to press her heat into.

Steve growled against her neck where he'd been kissing his way across her throat. "Jemma, I want you," he told her. "I don't want to rush you. You need to tell me to stop if you don't want that too." His words made her feel lighter. He was the gentleman she'd always heard him to be but right now she didn't want the gentleman, she wanted the man that was barely able to keep his hands off of her.

"I want you Steven," she told you. "Take me to bed, please." She rolled her hips, sliding herself across his length once again. A thrill went through her as he seized her lips with his own and turned to the bed. He carefully sat her down on the edge without breaking the kiss and slid to his knees between his legs.


End file.
